Adjustment means for a casket bed



July 6, 1965 e. GRUBER 3,192,596

ADJUSTMENT MEANS FOR A CASKET BED Filed July 3, 196]. FIG. I

FIG-5 4" 29 V/ //@fl// INVENTOR. LESLIE G. GRUBER a to touch theadjustment means.

United States Patent 3,192,596 ADJUSTMENT MEANS FER A CASKET BED LeslieG. Gruber, 4530 Shady Grove Road, Memphis, Tenn. Filed July 3, 1961,Ser. No. 121,451 5 Claims. (Cl. 2712) This invention relates to means ina casket for adjusting the height of the bed or like structure thatsupports the corpse.

It is desirable to be able to adjust the height of the bed or othersupporting structure in a casket, as for example, in the show room wherethe caskets are displayed for prospective purchasers it is desirable tohave the bed raised near the upper edge of the shell so that it can beseen better. Also, the bed should be adjusted to a height that Willfavorably display the corpse, and it is advantageous to have a bed thatcan be adjusted quickly and with a minimum of effort with the corpsethereon since sometimes it is necessary to make lastminute adjustmentsto satisfy the family of the deceased. In addition, it is desirable tohave such adjustment means which can be locked in place as duringshipping and the like. Many of the present-day caskets are constructedwith the bed or supporting means resting on eXcelsior orsimilarmaterial, and it is very difiicult to adjust this type of casketsince excelsior must be added for raising the bed or removed forlowering the bed. Other types of caskets have adjustment means but thesehave been of expensive and complicated construction requiring specialtools to etfect the adjustment. Also, there are other types which areprovided with adjustment means having mechanisms that'must be tripped orunlatched to make the adjustment, thereby requiring one person to liftthe bed while another person operates the mechanism. Also, many oftheadjustment means are inaccessible, being located beneath the bed orat the side thereof so that it is difiicult to operatethe mechanism,with it sometimes being necessary to remove the corpse for making theadjustment. In addition, many of the previous types of adjustment meansare not suited for shipping, but become loose or otherwise do notsupport the bed in a completely fixed position desirable for shipping.

The present invention is directed towards overcoming the disadvantagesof previous adjustment means in a casket by providing casket adjustmentmeans which can be operated by one person simply moving the bed bygrasping the edges thereof or handles provided along the edge thereofand Without the necessity of ever having In addition, the presentinvention is directed towards providing means for quickly and easilyremoving the complete bed, if it becomes necessary, as for example, ifthe corpse is extremely heavy, or if the corpse has been burned and isin a position other than a lying position.

Thus, one of the objects of the present invention is to provide means ina casket for quickly and easily adjusting the bed or corpse supportingstructure without the necessity of any special tools and withouttouching the mechanism. 7

A further object is to provide such means which has the characteristicsof simplicity of operation, installation and cost. i

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- A further object is to provide in such adjustment means pin receivingrecesses which are angled downwardly so that there is little likelihoodthat the bed will accidentally fall or that the pins will jump out ofthe recesses during movement of the casket.

A further object is to provide means for quickly and easily removing thebed from the casket shell.

A further object is to provide such means which is easily adapted to fita wide Variety of shell designs.

A further object is to provide such means whereby it is convenient tomake the adjustment and which may be done with the corpse in place.

A further object is to provide a casket arranged so that the head of thebed therein can be moved independently of the foot thereof.

A further object is to provide interengaging means adjacent oppositeends of the casket including elements carried by the bed and the shelland arranged so that the bed is adjusted to a selected height by simplymoving the bed to position each of the pins opposite a selected one ofthe recesses and thence allowing the bed to move downwardly at an angleuntil each of the pins is resting in one of said recesses, and all ofthis being accomplished without having to touch the mechanism.

A further object is generally to improve the design and construction ofcasket adjustment means.

The means by which the foregoing and other objects of the presentinvention are accomplished and the man her of their accomplishment willbe readily understood from the following specification upon reference tothe accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top-view of a casket employing the adjustment means of thepresent invention as viewed looking vdown into the shell of the casketand with the top thereof being removed for purposes of clarity.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken as on the line IIII of FIG.1, and showing the locking piece in position.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the upper end ofone of the brackets.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken as on the line ofFIG. 1.

parts are indicated by numerals, the casket employing the presentinvention is indicated in general as at 11 and includes the usual shell13 having spaced parallel sides 15 interconnected adjacent the endsthereof by spaced ends 17. A bed or supportingstructure 19 for thecorpse, not shown, is provided in shell 13 and is formed of suitableconstruction, as for example, the

usual supporting frame 21 having a pad 23 or the like carried thereon.Supporting structure 19 in its normal supported position is spaced fromshell 13 along the opposite ends thereof, and is spaced along the sidesthereof so that the supporting structure is adapted to be movedlaterally in shell13 for a purpose later to be described, as -well asbeing adapted to move verticallyin thev shell.

The means for supporting structure 19 in shell 13 is a plurality ofadjustment mechanisms 25 of the present invention. A pair of adjustmentmechanisms 25 are preferably provided at each end of supportingstructure 19 with each pair being laterally spaced apart, as best seenin FIG. 1. Adjustment mechanisms 25 are substan- (3 tially identical andthe following description of one will sufiice for all.

Adjustment mechanism 25, in general, comprises a pair of interengagingelements or parts, i.e. a stationary element or bracket 27 fixedlyattached to shell 13 at the inner side 29 of end 17 by suitable means aswelding or by screws or the like, and a movable element or pin 31fixedly attached to supporting structure 19 adjacent the end of frame 21by suitable means as, for example, by driving the inner pointed end, notshown, of pin 31 into the supporting frame, so that the pin extendssubstantially horizontally outwardly from the supporting frame. Pin 31is provided with an enlarged head 33 at the distal end thereof, whichhead is spaced from supporting frame 21.

Stationary element 27 is preferably integrally formed and preferablycomprises a substantially vertical web 35, spaced side portions 37attached to the web adjacent the opposite side edges thereof andextending perpendicularly therefrom towards shell 13,, and a pair offlanges 39 respectively attached to side portions 37 and extendinglaterally in opposite directions therefrom. The flanges 39 are theactual portions which are fixedly attached to shell 13, as heretoforedescribed. Web 35 is spaced from shell 13 to provide a verticallyextending enclosure 41 defined by web 35, side portions 37 and shell 13.Stationary element 27 is cut out to establish a guide or path 43 for pin31 to move in, as will be understood in the description to follow. Path43 comprises the following four parts thereof: (1) a vertical slot 45provided through web35, (2) a plurality of recesses, 47 in web 35leading from slot 45 at vertically spaced places and angled downwardlytherefrom, (3) an enlarged entrance and exit opening 49 in one of sideportions 37 adjacent the upper one of recesses 47, and (4) a reducedguide portion 51 connecting opening 49 and the upper end of verticalslot 45.

Vertical slot 45, recesses 47 and reduced guide portion 51 are less inwidth than head 33 and are slightly greater in width than the shankportion 53 of pin 31 so that they are of a size to loosely receive theshank with the shank extending therethrough and with head 33 beingdisposed in vertical enclosure 41 behind web 35.- Thus, pin 31 ismovable through path 43 without being accidentally disengaged therefrom.

In describing the operation of adjustment mechanism 25, it is assumedthat shank 53 of pin 31 is in a selected one of recesses 47 with theshank resting on the portion of the web 35 indicated in general as at 55which defines the lower end of each of the recesses 47, as best seen inFIG. 2. To adjust one end of supporting structure 19, that end isgrasped along the opposite side edges of the supporting structure, or,if desired, handles 57 are provided adjacent opposite side edges of thesupporting structure. The end is simply lifted up and towards one sidewhich will cause shank 53 to move through the recess in which it hasbeen resting and out into vertical slot 45. With the shank 53 invertical slot 45, the end of supporting structure 19 may be then eithermoved directly upwardly or downwardly until the shank is opposite theupper end of the selected recess 47. The end of supporting structure 19is then permitted to lower downwardly and towards one side into theselected recess 47. It Will be understood that the pins 31. of both theadjustment mechanisms 25 of the pair located at the particular end ofthe supporting structure that is being lifted, simultaneously go throughthe same motions relative to their respective stationary elements 27,and when the supporting structure is at the desired height the pins 31will be resting in corresponding recesses 47. It will be observed thatduring this adjusting operation described, it has not been necessary forthe person doing the adjusting to contact or touch the adjustmentmechanisms 25, but all he had to do was manipulate the end of supportingstructure 19.

. After one end of supporting structure 19 has been ad- Cit justed, thenthe opposite end is adjusted in the same manner as above described. Itshould also be noted that, if desired, the opposite ends of supportingstructure 19 may be adjusted at the same time by having persons at bothends of the supporting structure lifting together. Also, it will beunderstood that if it is desired to have supporting structure 19 tiltedat an angle, this can be very easily and conveniently done by adjustingone of the ends of the supporting structure to a higher position thanthe other.

To remove supporting structure 19 from shell 13, it will be understoodthat the supporting structure is moved upwardly to carry the pins 31adjacent the upper ends of their respective slots 45, and then thesupporting structure is moved laterally to carry the shanks 53 throughthe respective reduced guide portions 51. Thence, the

openings 49, which are respectively larger than the heads 33, permitpassage of the heads through the openings and thus disengagement of thepins 31 from brackets 21 to free supporting structure 19 for removalfrom shell 13. When it is desired to reassemble supporting structure 19with shell 13, substantially the reverse of the above described removaloperation is performed.

To prevent'the engagement of heads 33 with shell 13, the pins 31 arearranged so that this engagement by the pins at either end of the casket11 is not possible since the pins at the opposite end thereof limitendwise movement of the supporting structure 19 by engagement of theheads against the backside of Webs 35.

To lock adjustment mechanisms 25, a vertically elongated piece 59,formed of a piece of wood or the like, is inserted in vertical enclosure41, as best seen in FIGS. 2 and 5, so that the piece is interposedbetween pin 31 and one of the side portions 37 to prevent the pin fromaccidentally leaving the recess 47. Piece 59 extends upwardly past theupper, end of stationary element 27 for a portion where the piece isprovided with a notch 61 therein. Thus, the loop-like strap 63 normallyattached to the casket pillow 65 may be inserted into notch 61, as seenin FIG. 7, to secure pillow 65, as when the casket 11 is being shippedor the like.

An alternate means for locking adjustment mechanisms 25 is shown in FIG.6, wherein it will be seen side portions 37 are respectively providedwith aligned apertures 67, 69 which removably receive a toggle 71 thatextends over pin 31 to prevent the pin from leaving its associatedrecess 47.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that means is provided ina casket for quickly and easily adjusting the bed thereof without thenecessity of any special tools and without touching the mechanism. Also,such means is provided for locking the bed so that the casket can beshipped without damage thereto. In additlon, such means is providedwhereby the adjustment can be accomplished with the corpse either beingin place or removed, and the adjustment can be made conveniently,Furthermore, it will be understood that such means is provided which issimple in construction and very economical to manufacture.

Although the invention has been described in some detail by way ofillustration and example for purposes of clarity or understanding, it isto be understood that it is not to be so limited since changes andmodifications may be made therein which are within the full intendedscope of this invention as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. In a casket having a casket shell, a vertically movable supportingstructure for supporting a corpse in said shell, said supportingstructure being later-ally spaced from said shell to provide room formoving said supporting structure laterally as well as vertically,adjustment means cooperating between said supporting structure and saidshell for holding said supporting structure at a selected height; eachof said adjustment means comprising a first element and a secondelement, said first element comprising a pin fixedly attached to saidsupporting structure and extending outwardly therefrom and having anenlarged head on the outer end thereof; said second element comprising avertically extending bracket; said bracket including a vertical web,spaced side portions attached to said web adjacent the opposite sideedges thereof and extending toward said shell, and a pair of flangesrespectively attached to said side portions and extending laterallytherefrom, means fixedly attaching said flanges to said shell to supportsaid bracket therefrom; said web being spaced from said shell to providea vertically extending enclosure defined by said web, said side portionsand said shell; said web being provided with an open path including avertical slot and a plurality of recesses leading from said slot atvertically spaced places and angled downwardly therefrom, said pin beingin interengaging relationship with said web in said path, one of saidside portions being provided with an enlarged entrance and exit opening,said bracket being provided with a reduced guide portion connecting saidopening and said slot; said vertical slot, said recesses and saidreduced guide portion being smaller than said head and of'a sizetoloosely receive said pin with said pin extending therethrough and withsaid head being disposed in said vertical enclosure whereby said pin ismovable through said slot into a selected one of said recesses andthrough said reduced guide portion without being accidentallydisengageable therefrom; said pin being nor mally received in a selectedone of said recesses to adjustably support said supporting structurefrom said shell, said opening being greater in size than said headwhereby said head is movable through said opening to engage anddisengage said first and second elements, said pin being movable fromone of said recesses to another by manipulation of said supportingstructure and with said pin and said web remaining in interengagingrelationship during the manipulation.

2. In a casket having a casket shell, a vertically movable supportingstructure for supporting a corpse in said shell, said supportingstructure being laterally spaced from said shell to provide room formoving said supporting structure laterally as well as vertically,adjustment means cooperating between said supporting structure and saidshell for holding said supporting structure at a selected height; eachof said adjustment means comprising a first element and a secondelement, said first element comprising a cylindrical pin fixedlyattached to said supporting structure and extending outwardly therefromand having an enlarged head on the outer end thereof; said secondelement comprising a vertically extending bracket including a web, meansfixedly attaching said bracket to said shell, said web being providedwith a vertical slot and an open path therethrough including a pluralityof round-bottomed recesses leading from said slot at vertically spacedplaces and angled downwardly therefrom, said pin being in interengagingrelationship with said web in said path, said vertical slot and saidrecesses being smaller than said head and of a size to loosely receivesaid pin with said pin extending therethrough whereby said pin ismovable through said slot into a selected one of said recesses withoutbeing accidentally disengageable therefrom, and said pin being normallyreceived in a selected one of said recesses to adjustably support saidsupporting structure from said shell, said pin being movable from one ofsaid recesses to another by manipulation of said supporting structureand with said pin and said web remaining in interengaging relationshipduring the manipulation.

3. In a casket having a casket shell, a vertically movable supportingstructure for supporting a corpse in said shell, said supportingstructure being laterally spaced from said shell to provide room formoving said supporting structure laterally as well as vertically,adjustment means cooperating between said supporting structure and saidshell for holding said supporting structure at a selected height; eachof said adjustment means comprising a first element and a secondelement, one of said elements being fixedly attached to said supportingstructure and the other of said elements being fixedly attached to saidshell, said first element comprising a substantially horizontallyextending cylindrical pin having a head thereon, said second elementcomprising means providing a path for said pin; said path comprising avertical slot, a plurality of round-bottomed recesses leading from saidslot at vertically spaced places and angled downwardly therefrom, anenlarged entrance and exit opening, and a reduced guide portionconnecting said opening and said slot; said pin being in interengagingrelationship with said second element in said path; said vetrical slot,said recesses and said reduced guide portion being of a size to looselyreceive said pin and smaller than said head whereby said pin is movablethrough said slot into a selected one of said recesses and through saidreduced guide portion without being accidentally disengageabletherefrom, said pin being normally received in a selected one of saidrecesses to adjustably support said supporting structure in said shell,said opening being greater in size than said head whereby said head ismovable through said opening to engage or disengage said first andsecond elements, said pin being movable from one of said recesses toanother by manipulation of said supporting structure and With said pinand said second element remaining in interengaging relationship duringthe manipulation.

4; In a casket having a casket shell, a vertically movable supportingstructure for supporting a corpse in said shell, said supportingstructure being laterally spaced from said shell to provide room formoving said supporting structure laterally as well as vertically,adjustment means cooperating between said supporting structure and saidshell for holding said supporting structure at a selected height; eachof said adjustment means comprising a first element and a secondelement, said first element comprising a pin fixedly attached to saidsupporting structure and extending outwardly therefrom and having anenlarged head on the outer end thereof; said second element comprising avertically extending bracket; said bracket including a vertical web,spaced side portions attached to said web adjacent the opposite sideedges thereof and extending towards said shell, and a pair of flangesrespectively attached to said side portions and extending laterallytherefrom, means fixedly attaching said flanges to said shell to supportsaid bracket therefrom; said Web being spaced from said shell to providea vertically extending enclosure defined by said web, said side portionsand said shell; said web being provided with a vertical slot and beingprovided with a plurality of recesses leading from said slot atvertically spaced places and angled downwardly therefrom, one of saidside portions being provided with an enlarged entrance and exit opening,said bracket being provided with a reduced guide portion connecting saidopening and said slot; said vertical slot, said recesses and saidreduced guide portion being smaller than said head and of a size toloosely receive said pin with said pin extending therethrough and withsaid head being disposed in said vertical enclosure whereby said pin ismovable through said slot into a selected one of said recesses andthrough said reduced guide portion without being accidentallydisengageable therefrom; said pin being normally received in a selectedone of said recesses to adjustably support said supporting structurefrom said shell, said opening being greater in size than said headwhereby said head is movable through said opening to engage anddisengage said first and second elements, an elongated piece received insaid vertical enclosure, and said pin being blocked from removal fromone of said recesses by said piece whereby during shipping and the likesaid first and second elements are locked together.

5. In a casket having a casket shell, a vertically movable supportingstructure for supporting a corpse in said shell, said supportingstructure being laterally spaced from said shell to provide room formoving said supporting structure laterally as Well as vertically,adjustment means cooperating between said supporting structure and saidshell for holding said supporting structure at a selected height; eachof said adjustment means comprising a first element and a secondelement, said first element comprising a pin fixedly attached to saidsupporting structure and extending outwardly therefrom and having anenlarged head on the outer end thereof; said second element comprising avertically extending bracket; said bracket including a vertical web,spaced side portions attached to said web adjacent the opposite sideedges thereof and extending towards said shell, and a pair of flangesrespectively attached to said side portions and extending laterallytherefrom, means fixedly attaching said flanges to said shell to supportsaid bracket therefrom; said Web being spaced from said shell to providea vertically extending enclosure defined by said Web, said side portionsand said shell; said web being provided with a vertical slot and beingprovided with a plurality of recesses leading from said slot atvertically spaced places and angled downwardly therefrom, one of saidside portions being provided with an enlarged entrance and exit opening,said bracket being provided with a reduced guide portion connecting saidopening and said slot; said vertical slot, said recesses and saidreduced guide portion being smaller than said head and of a size toloosely re- 8 ceive said pin with said pin extending therethrough andwith said head being disposed in said vertical enclosure whereby saidpin is movable through said slot into a selected one of said recessesand through said reduced guide portion without being accidentallydisengageable therefrom; said pin being normally received in a selectedone of said recesses to adjustably support said supporting structurefrom said shell, said opening being greater in size than said headwhereby said head is movable through said opening to engage anddisengage said first and second elements, an elongated piece received insaid vertical enclosure, said pin being blocked from removal from one ofsaid recesses by said piece whereby during shipping and the like saidfirst and second elements are locked together, said piece being providedwith notch means therein for receiving the strap of a pillow duringshipping of the casket.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,242,307 5/41Kroll et a1. 5-11 2,290,514 7/42 Widdowson 27--12 2,311,892 2/43 Uline2712 X 2,447,704 8/48 Kline 211-136 2,735,157 2/56 Hotchkiss et a1 2712RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primaf'y Examiner.

M. HENSON WOOD, 1a., Examiner.

3. IN A CASKET HAVING A CASKET SHELL, A VERTICALLY MOVABLE SUPPORTINGSTRUCTURE FOR SUPPORTING A CORPSE IN SAID SHELL, SAID SUPPORTINGSTRUCTURE BEING LATERALLY SPACED FROM SAID SHELL TO PROVIDE ROOM FORMOVING SAID SUPPORTING STRUCTURE LATERALLY AS WELL AS VERTICALLY,ADJUSTMENT MEANS COOPERATING BETWEEN SAID SUPPORTING STRUCTURE AND SAIDSHELL FOR HOLDING SAID SUPPORTING STRUCTURE AT A SELECTED HEIGHT; EACHOF SAID ADJUSTMENT MEANS COMPRISING A FIRST ELEMENT AND A SECONDELEMENT, ONE OF SAID ELEMENTS, BEING FIXEDLY ATTACHED TO SAID SUPPORTINGSTRUCTURE AND THE OTHER OF SAID ELEMENTS BEING FIXEDLY ATTACHED TO SAIDSHELL, SAID FIRST ELEMENT COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTALLYEXTENDING CYLINDRICAL PIN HAVING A HEAD THEREON, SAID SECOND ELEMENTCOMPRISING A VERTICAL SLOT, PATH FOR SAID PIN; SAID PATH COMPRISING AVERTICAL SLOT, A PLURALITY OF ROUND-BOTTOMED RECESS LEADING FROM SAIDSLOT AT VERTICALLY SPACED PLATES AND ANGLED DOWNWARDLY THEREFROM, ANENLARGED ENTRANCE AND EXIT OPENING, AND A REDUCED GUIDE PORTIONCONNECTING SAID OPENING AND SAID SLOT; SAID PIN BEING INTERENGAGINGRELATIONSHIP WITH SAID SECOND ELEMENT IN SAID PATH; SAID VERTICAL SLOT,SAID RECESSES AND SAID REDUCED GUIDE PORTION BEING OF A SIZE TO LOOSELYRECEIVE SAID PIN AND SMALLER THAN SAID HEAD WHEREBY SAID PIN IS MOVABLETHROUGH SAID SLOT INTO A SELECTED ONE OF SAID RECESSES AND THROUGH SAIDREDUCED GUIDE PORTION WITHOUT BEING ACCIDENTIALLY DISENGAGEABLETHEREFROM, SAID PIN BEING NORMALLY RECEIVED IN A SELECTED ONE OF SAIDRECESS TO ADJUSTABLY SUPPORT SAID SUPPORTING STRUCTURE IN SAID SHELL,SAID OPENING BEING GREATER IN SIZE THAN SAID HEAD WHEREBY SAID HEAD ISMOVABLE THROUGH SAID OPENING TO ENGAGE OR DISENGAGE SAID FIRST ANDSECOND ELEMENTS, SAID PIN BEING MOVABLE FROM ONE OF SAID RECESSES TOANOTHER BY MANIPULATION OF SAID SUPPORTING STRUCTURE AND WITH SAID PINAND SAID SECOND ELEMENT REMAINING IN INTERENGAGING RELATIONSHIP DURINGTHE MANIPULATION.